Category: virtual teams

The new general manager of a recently acquired, innovative global business asked me if his new staff, which spanned seven countries and four continents, could understand English. “Yes, they can,” I responded with a smile. “But it doesn’t mean they can understand you, or will follow your direction.” They had all learned English, as taught… Read More

After being a leader in telecommuting, IBM is calling it quits, due to declining revenues. At least, it’s calling it quits in its marketing organizations in the US and Europe. It feels like a Marissa Mayer step backwards – it is sure to increase turnover, as well as lower morale and productivity. There is a… Read More

MIT researchers found that there are three characteristics that allow virtual teams to outperform co-located teams. The three characteristics are: having team members who communicate effectively, participate equally, and are good at reading emotions. They also found that having women on teams helps because women, on average, are better than men at reading facial expressions,… Read More

Today’s companies, both large and small, can quickly find themselves needing a global workforce in order to succeed. The challenge of uniting and motivating workers separated by language, distance, culture, and time can be daunting. Uniting workers is key, however, to taking advantage of critical skill sets, emerging markets, and local business practices. In the… Read More